The simplest thing
by Tranquil Forest
Summary: Sometimes it's the small things that make a difference.


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The simplest thing

**By Tranquil Forest**

Sunlight shown in between the small cracks of the shades, infiltrating the small room, giving it a healthy glow. Tiny particles of dust became visible as they sailed through the air, slowly spiraling downward until they made contact with the soft plush floor. Calm soared throughout the domicile, silence being the only resonance as the morning slowly made its presence noticed, signaling that a new day had been born.

The serenity of the moment was broken by the slight shifting of thin cloth and the content sigh emitted through slightly parted lips. A pair of azure eyes opened leisurely, taking in the scene he found himself a part of. Chestnut bangs slid down his smoothly featured face as he buried himself into the soft feel of the pillow. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of him and _her_. It was a mixture his own musky aroma blended into a perfect formula with her wild flowers.

Squall lay there in utter bliss before slowly turning over, only to be met by the vacant space where her body had lied only hours prior. Silently wondering where she might have gone to he was answered only moments later as faint clinking from the kitchenette reached his ears. Letting a small smile grace his lips he focused his gaze on the white-tiled ceiling.

He had come in late last night after his weeklong mission. Who would have thought taking care of a bunch of ten year olds could be so exhausting. It almost made him feel sorry for his own instructors as he imagined how they must have felt when he himself was the same age as these children. He still couldn't comprehend that scarcely nine years ago he had been just as old as the youths he had sworn to protect during this past seven day period. At least he hadn't been ordered to kill this time.

The thought made him shudder slightly, despite the warmth in the room. How could something that seemed so crystal clear only a year before now make him sick to even think about? Squall Leonhart, who would stand stone-faced and cold in the heat of battle, never thinking twice about the lives he took, now felt remorse every time the word 'assassinate' was printed onto the sheet of white paper he was given for every mission.

It was all her fault he concluded. If it hadn't been for her he would still be able to slay anything that came upon his path, without as much as flinching as blood tainted the untarnished earth. If it hadn't been for her he wouldn't have to sort out his priorities in life. If it hadn't been for her he wouldn't have to care about fickle things, such as others feelings. If it hadn't been for her he would be dead.

Because of her he opened his eyes as well as his heart. Made him care, made him share himself with the world, made him find the value in life. She made him human.

How could one woman succeed where everyone else had failed? It was he question he himself didn't know the answer to. She had pushed his buttons in ways that no one else ever had the power to touch. When the others had given up she still stood unfazed battling his deeply buried emotions with her own. Yet she hadn't changed him, just made the real him step up into the daylight.

It was a long road, but somehow he managed to walk it with the help from her. There was still some distance to go before he finally reached the end of the tunnel, but with her by his side the path he had chosen didn't seem so endless after all.

He often wondered if she knew the amount of effect she had on him. How unfair it was that she, by just looking at him with her warm earthen eyes, could make him feel vulnerable enough to just freeze his actions, afraid that he might break if those eyes ever left him.

He almost wanted to laugh when he thought about all the times he had looked down upon couples like that. Believing them weak for placing their faith in another. How truly ironic that he now found himself in the exact same situation. But your beliefs could change. She had shown him that countless times before.

One of the many things she had thought him was to treasure the small things in life. Such as waking up to the feel of cool sheets against naked skin. Something so simple and at the same time indescribably amazing. Before he wouldn't have given it a thought, but with her even the barley noticeable details became significant.

He had to admit that he wasn't too surprised when he found her waiting 'patiently' in his room last night. She had done it plenty of times before that it had almost become a necessity that she would be there when he arrived back from an assignment- but it was a pleasant necessity all the same.

He couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth as he though that she had been quite lively, despite the fact that the clock had told them it was nearly midnight.

"I was wondering when you were going to get up." Squall was pulled out of his daze and turned his head to meet the owner of the subtle voice. Rinoa was standing in the doorway, a grey t-shirt he recognized as his own hanging loosely against her petite frame.

"_You_, miss Heartilly, should know I have a good reason for sleeping in," he smiled conceitedly, propping himself up on one elbow to get a full view of her appearance. Would it be wrong to tell her how incredibly sexy she looked leaning against the doorframe like that in only the oversized t-shirt and underwear?

"Now, now commander, it's not nice blaming the poor children for your lack of reliability," she scolded him playfully, taking a few steps into the room. She reached the bed and smiled lopsidedly down at him.

"I'm not. I'm letting you take full responsibility," he corrected her has he rose slightly to capture her pink lips with his own coarse ones.

"So care to tell me what you were smiling about when I came in?" Rinoa asked as they pulled away for the sake of breathing.

"Oh wouldn't you want to know," he mocked her playfully.

She rolled her eyes and prodded him lightheartedly on the shoulder with a slim, yet unbelievably sharp, index-finger. "Of course I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you."

"My lips are sealed," Squall replied smartly, massaging the slightly sore spot.

"Meanie." She scowled down at him, fighting to keep her face straight, which turned out to be a greater challenge than expected.

"But I'm your meanie," he replied as he pulled her down with him onto the bed.

Her first response was to squeak in surprise, before letting out a faint giggle, as Squall buried his face in her silken raven-colored hair.

"Did you take the day of?" she asked, running her fingers through his own tresses of auburn.

"Mmm." Was the muffled reply she received.

"Gee Squall, if you're this zonked out I'd hate to be one of the 'lucky' kids you got take with you."

His face left the comfortable crock of her neck to look questionably at her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I've listened to you on meetings - and from what I've herd your tutorial skills are about as lame. Lets not forget I was there when you taught last years newly enrolling cadets all the thrilling aspects of the cokatrice." The young sorceress chuckled lightly as she recalled the lecture of doom. Lucky for her and the children Garden had decided to set off the fire drill, saving them from what would have been another full hour of torture.

"You've been around Zell too much," Squall said, mildly annoyed.

"Aww, come on I'll make it up to you. I made breakfast." Rinoa winked, wrapping her slender arms around his neck.

"Do I have to eat it?" He remembered all too well all the accidents that had occurred in the kitchen during Rinoa's food preparations. He had been witness to most of them.

"Squall Leonhart!" This time the prodding finger wasn't as gentle.

"Ow, okay, sorry. It's just…" he lowered his face closer to hers. "Right now I feel hungry for something else," he murmured raising one eyebrow, an imposing smirk on his lips.

The playful smack she had planed on giving him was forgotten as he began trailing kisses down the sensitive flesh on her neck. "Get your mind out of the gutter," she muttered, albeit not reluctantly.

He pulled her body closer to him as he let the feel of her, his source of life, satisfy his senses to their peak. Was it allowed for someone to feel this amazing?

"Squall, the food is getting cold," she whined as he rolled over into a dominant position.

"I'll make something later," he whispered in her ear before cruising back up to give her a full kiss on the lips.

Rinoa was the one who would laugh at him when he was irritated, tease him when he became to serious, lecture him when he was being obtuse, bring him back when he was lost in himself, cry for him when he was hurt - and he loved her for it.

All the things she did was who she was - and he wouldn't have it any other way.

He hoped that he on day could repay her for all she had done for him, for it was truly a priceless gift she had presented him with. As for the time being he settled for the knowledge that just by being there meant more to her than he could ever imagine.

Unfortunately his line of work often hindered him from spending days like this alone with the person who mattered to him the most. The guilt would gnaw at him from the inside, knowing that it took its toll on her. Therefore he made sure to make the moments with her special. Special like her.

Stopping his advances just long enough to lock eyes with her, he told her the honest words in his heart. "I love you". And it was as simple as that.

**Fin**

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**04-05-07**

**Authors note: **

Well what can I say. It's my first time posting anything I've written so this is all kind of new to me. I of corse realize that there are about a billion fics like this out there, but hey it's a start. Perhaps in the end I'll come up with something unique, though i highly doubt it, since there are a lot of really good ideas already out there, that will no doubt destroy a fic i thought up, taking me back to step one.

So far I personally don't think i should try to put anything up but oneshots, since I tend to put things aside for the longest of time, leaving them incompleate, which i find highly irritating, not only for myself but for the people who read and only find it so entertaining to wait for updates.

Anyway if you happened to read this feel free to give me feedback. I like both good and bad comments, I mean they can only help me, right?

P.S. No i do not own Final Fantasy VIII, the characters or any of the sorts (like you already didn't know that...)


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